If any lessons could be taken from 2021, it was that A24 was set up to be one of the big studios of post-lockdown cinema. Even with the familiar hits and misses, they found a way to resonate with audiences in need of creative storytelling that challenged expectations. While bigger titles would appear a little later down the line, After Yang (2022) helped to start their follow-up on a very high note. Along with Colin Farrell returning for the first time since the Oscar-nominated film The Lobster (2016), the Kogonada work took a sci-fi premise and played with its potential in ways that would go on to win over audiences. It was perfect evidence not only of A24’s gift for embracing the obtuse, but their gift for collaborating with clever up and coming artists who had something important to say.
An interesting fact regarding Kogonada is that he started his career as a video essayist. His work focused on deconstructing themes in iconic directors’ careers, such as the sounds in Darren Aronofsky’s films or mirrors and Ingmar Bergman. The typical trend for essayists-turned-filmmakers is that their self-awareness to technique and craft causes their work to feel belabored and never results in anything substantial. Kogonada managed to bunk the trend with his debut Columbus (2017) which was critically acclaimed and wound up on several end of year lists. Given the praise for his grounded approach to humanity, many anticipated that his follow-up would be even bigger and more impressive.
Key among the Columbus fans was producer Theresa Park. She expressed eagerness to work with Kogonada and kept her eye open to projects that might work. She would eventually give him a collection from Alexander Weinstein’s short story collection “Children of the New World” with emphasis on an unnamed story. Kogonada admitted to not finding a connection to the targeted piece before Park encouraged him to look at the other works.
The most noteworthy work was “Saying Goodbye to Yang,” which featured a futuristic story that included a robot boy designed to look Chinese. Given that the premise also features decades of political rifts between The United States and China, it added a subtext that spoke to Kogonada. He was especially intrigued by the manufactured sense of “Asianess” that was not authentic. An important thing to consider is that Weinstein was not Asian and thus had an outsider’s perspective. When Kogonada met the author prior to filming, Weinstein gave the director the right to expand on the premise (which took place over a single day) and find something more personal. The initial draft would be written over three months.
Kogonada as an artist discusses in interviews how he sees projects as being made of parts. When breaking down After Yang, he saw the different parts that resonated with him. As someone who understood his identity from “second-hand information,” he was drawn to the manufactured Asianess that presented a distance from the world around him. He was also aware of how white families would adopt Korean children from overseas for a myriad of reasons. Despite being a story based in a fictional future, he helped to bring a personal touch that was far from the tropes that other filmmakers relied on.
One of the main tools that Kogonada relied on was making an environment that moved away from synthetic environments. The costume designer chose to not use any plastic in the wardrobes. While the film opens with a dance sequence that finds several families dancing in a competition, the story slowly devolves into a more intimate tale about a robot son named Yang starting to malfunction. Like Columbus, it was a quiet narrative that built to devastating emotional beats that catches the viewer off guard. This includes playing with technique, such as emphasizing music that centered around isolation that would cut off before the audience had any sense of catharsis. There is a longing that never feels achieved.
Unlike producer Park, Farrell wasn’t aware of Columbus prior to being offered the role. Upon reading the script, he was impressed with the progression of events and the meticulous way that Kogonada handled the humanity. Upon seeing his first film, there was a newfound appreciation for the director that made him more willing to get on board with the vision. When discussing the opening sequence, he admits to not being a great dancer and thus struggled to learn the material. Many in the cast, such as Haley Lu Richardson, were able to pick up the moves quicker. Many additional families would film their sequences in multiple takes depending on levels of talent and importance to the story.
During filmmaking, Kogonada would eat ramen with cinematographer Benjamin Loeb during lunch. The idea was that it symbolized the making of After Yang. While they ate, they would comment on the production of the food along with how they were planning on developing the film’s story. As a result, it created something intimate and more lived in. Another detail that feels important to note is that thanks to his musical contributions, this would qualify as composer Ryuichi Sakamoto’s last film work before his death in March 2023 from colorectal cancer. Mitski would also provide music to the soundtrack.
After Yang would make its debut at Cannes in July 2021 where Kogonada would be nominated for Un Certain Regard. Following a positive reception, it would go on to have its American premiere at Sundance the following January where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize. With acclaim and a built-in fan base following Columbus, Kogonada’s latest was the first A24 film of the year to come with high anticipation. In an odd turn of events, the film would premiere theatrically on the same day as Farrell’s buzziest role in years: The Batman (2022). By some miracle, After Yang sustained enough of a critical reception to not be totally buried under the other film’s $770+ million gross. Another reason for its endurance was that it was released on Showtime the same day that it was on the big screen.
All things considered After Yang wound up having an impressive response from critics. According to critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, the film would earn a lofty 89% approval rating. Leading the cheers was Joseph Tomastik of Loud and Clear Reviews who noted that, “Kogonada has taken a very unconventional, bold approach to his examination of holding on to fading humanity.” Rebecca Johnson of Film Focus Online shared in the sentiment when declaring that, “The way it handles grief and loss is one of the best explorations ever put to screen, and is worth watching for that alone. It harmoniously combines sci-fi with family drama to create a movie unlike anything we've seen.” The few who disagreed included Andrew Kendall of Stabroek News who derided, “The elegiac and melancholic tone is fairly well measured against Benjamin Loebs delicate photography, but very little of the existential concerns here feel weighty enough to linger after the credits roll.” After Yang would find its supporters at the end of the year, including David Ehrlich who had the film among his Top 25 of 2022.
All in all, After Yang continued to establish Kogonada as a filmmaker to keep an eye on. With two highlight acclaimed works, many are predicting a lengthy career full of mind-bending art that isn’t solely about special effects. As of this publication, Kogonada is working on his next film: a romantic fantasy starring Margot Robbie and the return of Colin Farrell called A Big Bold Beautiful Journey that is scheduled for a September 2025 release. Little is known at this point, though one can expect that it’ll take Kogonada even further into awards contention than he has before. Given that he has received a BAFTA nomination for directing TV, it seems like a matter of time until he makes a breakthrough.
For now, After Yang continues A24’s gift for finding films that challenge the narrative potential of artists and allows them to build something extraordinary. Even in the genre of sci-fi, this story manages to avoid delving too far into tropes and instead finds something organic and fresh with a cast pushing themselves into something more substantial. In an amusing turn of events, the studio’s next film would mark the start of their first trilogy which, in itself, would veer far from the tenderness of After Yang and delve into the sick, disgusting tropes of yesteryear horror. There’s been a few franchises under A24’s belt at this point, but none that challenged expectations and launched its star to the status of scream queen material. It’s a weird, psychotic journey that once again shows how well the studio can cover the entire spectrum of tones while figuring out a formula for success.
Coming Up Next: X (2022)
Comments
Post a Comment